Draft-rigging for railway-cars.



ment with such draft lugs, sprine` mechanclaims. l'

rigging having draft lugs securedto the 'yielding connectionbetween thedravrl'ansm for yieldingl l timbers so as'to relieve the spring mechan-'provide in a draft-riglging for railway cars 'suitable spring and lightand yielding resistance an MXF'IELD YQST, QpcnicAGofiLLiNois.

Dnarrfiiresiim Pon RAILWAY-cans.

To all whom 'it may concern: v

Be it known tliat I, .WINFIELD Yos'r, a :itizen of the `United States,residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateo Illinois, aminventor of certain new and useful Improvements in ,raft-,Rigging .forRail'- way-Cars, of which t 'e following is a speciication.

My invention relates to that class of draftdraft timbers, followerplates mov-ably mounted between and in operative engageisni intermediatesuch follower-plates', and lever mechanism o eratively connected withthe draw-bar an adapted to yieldingly engage the draft lugs.

' he principal object of my invention is to ovide a simple, economicaland ecient aft-rig ing for railway cars. l A furt er object of theinvention is to rovide in a draft-rilgging f'ofr ralway csis avingspring mec anisin or ornimg a and the draft timbers, suitable levermechconnectin'g the drawsbar mechanism wit the draft lugs or draft ismof a portion of the load`.

A fui't er object of the invention is to ever mechanism for ,yieldinglyconnecting the draw-bar with the draft timbers whereby the initialapplication of force vill meet .with a comparatively the continuedapplication of force to move the csit in either direction will meet witha constantly increasing degree. of yielding rst- `ance without at anytime becoming actually rigid, and wherebv therecoil, when the force isremoved, isere uced to a minimum. A further object is to providesuitable; means for yieldinly connecting the dravrbar directl with 'thedraft lugs-by means of lever mec ianisin adapted to receive the strainor force applied in moving the csr in j either direction, .and springmechanism so fi operatively connected with the lever mechf l anism as toincrease the resistance of the j lever to the movements of the dists-baras '13 the application of force is continued. ,3

'Other andfurtlier objects of the invention will appear from anexamination of the drawings and the following description and Specictdnof Letters Patent. Apprenti@ meenam-y is, i905. seriai'iio; 241:079.

patented Aug. 4, 190s.

The invention consists of features, combinations and details ofconstruction' here= inafter described and claimed.

In the accom anying drawings-Figure 1 is a plan view oi) in accorda-ncewith my im rovements and connected with the draft timbers of a railwaycar; Fig. 2 a central sectional elevation taken on line 2 of l? ig. 1looking in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 3 a transa draft-riggingconstructed verse elevation in detail taken on line 3 of Fig. 1 lookingin the direction of the arrow, showing the arrangements of the levermechanism. l

In construct-ing a draft-rivging in accordance withiny improvements)rovide cheekplates a which are secured to t ie draft sills b` -of a carin any ordinary and well known inanner, each being provided with draftlugs c, d, e and j, lower iange or guide-portions g being secured to thelower edges of the cheek-4 plates forming tracks for supporting andguiding the le vers and followers hereinafter described. Suitable upperflanges, not shown,

are providedat the upper edges of the cheekplates for preventing tie-displaccment of the parts in'operation. The upper flanges may eintegral with the chce ilower flan es secured to the' cheek-plates bymeans of olts h. A front follower-plate l plates and the and rearfollower-plate are slidably inounted between the checlcplates andbetweenA the draft lugs d and e, coil-springs k and l being mountedintermediate such followerplates so as to hold them in yieldingengagement with levers hereinafter described and form a yieldingresistance to thc movement of such levers and the draw-bar with relationto the draft timbers. A draw-bar m and coupler n are mounted in the carframe in any ordinary and .well known manner, and l a tail strap or yokeo is secured -to the hawbar by means of bolts p and suitable shoulderportions q upon the end ofthe draw-bar in any ordinary or known manner..Twosets of crossed levexscach consisting of oppositelymovable levers 1and s arcarranged between the respective follower-plates and the tailstra or draw-bar yoke at opposite ends there'o as shown in Figs. 1 and2. Each of these levers is p rovi ded with an end or'tion t in slidingengagement with the ad-l jacent cheek-plate and movable. into engagementwith the draft lugs, the inner ends gagement'with the outer face lot"the adia 11o u of each 'of such levers being in sliding encentfollower-plate. The tail-strap or drawbar yoke is provided at eachendwith a lever engaging inner portion 'v having contour surfaces winengagement withy the leversbe-v 'tween the outer. and innerendsthereof, and the inner end of each lever is rovided with .as-tud. yin engagement with t e upp'ersurface of the next adjacent lever invcrossed relation thereto. The' lugs y may preferably be f ori'ned onboth sides of the levers r and s in order that these parts may beinterchangeable, although it is obvious that when assembled only one ofthe lugs y on each lever will contact with the coo' erating lever.Widening or narrowing t ie contour surface ortion ofthe yoke theleverage can be reguated and the degree of 'resistance of the levers tothe movement of the draw-bar modified as desired.

'Inoperation the force applied for pulling the car or moving it to theeft, as shown in y Fig. 1., will cause the contoursurfaces fw ofthetailstrap or yoke to engage the levers r 7 and s at the riohtof thefigure moving them \`andthe rear fo ower-plateforward or to the l\eft ofthegure againstlthe tension of the \'\'spr ings.until the outer ends ofthe 4levers cpiiie in contact with the draftlugs d. Duringthe movementof the levers against the tension of t-lie springs to'V the point wherethei puter ends engage tlie'draft lugs such ni'ove ent and the movementof t-lie drawbar is ArIsist-ed only by tlieltcnsion'- of the s rings'idlgthe friction'ofthe outer ends of t e lever\aai\nst the cheek-platesandthe tension of t. \e s rings is of course' comparatively li-glitandyielding at the initial application of forceaiid increases in' rigidityrap-l idly as the application of force continues. It will also be notedthat the s rings foi-in substantially' tlieonly means o yconnectionbetween the draw-har andthe car or draft lugs iuitil the outer ends ofthe levers come in contact with the draft lugs, and that up to thispoint the connection afforded the s rings is inuch more yielding thanafter the evers Aengage the draft-lugs. Then `the levers.

come in contact with the draft lugs the continued a plication of forcein the sainedirection wi l,cause the leveisto rock upon the contour orengaging surface of the tail strap er yke.` Their inner ends moveforward with the engaged follower-plate against the tensionof thesprings and Atheir outer ends forni a yielding connection between thedraw-.bar or Atail strap and the draft lugs. The pulling strains aretlien no longer-entirely sustained by the spring iiiechanism's but areyieldingly communicated from the drawbar to the draft lugs through theinediuiii of the levers :so as to minimize the' shocks received inoperation. The contour surfaces are so proportioned that the movenientof the draw-bar forward, after tli outer ends of the levers comeiiitocontact with the draft-lugs, will caus'c the poin.' ofc-:oiitac'ztv to recede from the inner end of the levers and ai preachnearer to the outer ends thereof,

t us throwing an additional proportion of the pulling'strains upon thelevers and relieving the springs toatliat extent, at the same timecausing tlieresistance tothe movement of the draw-bar to increaserapidlyand at increasiiigratio as the #application'of force iscontinued. The springs to be usediii combination with the levermechanism, as above .desci'ihed, are not required to be of'suflicicntstrength to bear the entire pulling strains,

serves 'to increase the rigidity of the connection between the leversand the draw-bar and draft lugs without at any time making suchconnection actually rigid. In this device a:v much greater force can beapplied to the draw-bar than would be suflicient to entirely compressthesprii'igs and yet their perfeet flexibility is not affected, and thefull value of the springs is at all times obtainable.

By arranging the studs y upon the -inner ends 'of the levers so thatthey cdme in con-,

tact with the next adjacent crossed levers, as shown in Fig. 1, t-liemovement-of the levers to 'compressing position, before their outer endscome in contact with the draft lugsl is rendered possible withoutgreatly increasing the 4fri'ctioiial'resist-ance between the lever andthe cheek- )la-tes, and the return move'- nient-s of the levers toinitial or releasing position is also facilitated. In operation thefollower-plates are slightly llexible and the levers are in engagementtherewith; when their outer ends are in initial position or against theouter lugs c or By this inean's the shocks are received by both theQu'ter lugs and those -which engage the followerplates. In other words,the force applied to move the vdraw-bar forward 'to the left inv Fig. 1is received by thc levers shown at the right of the figure' andcominilinicated through the medium of the follower-plates and'springs tothe levers atthe left of the :figure andto both tlic'lugs e` and f, andvice versa. This is rendered possible by means of the flexibility of thefollower plate'-whicli.

permits part of the force-'to be communicated to the outerdiigs whichare engaged by\t lie levers when such levers have reached their limitlof conipressihility. by means of'the\ studs 1/ coiiiingiiito engagingposition so as to preventfurthercompression of tlu` levers.

is prevented.

lThe arrangementaiid inode of\opera ton of the lever mechanisms on bot-hsidesofu the tu harem/.mena iw.

follower-plates and springs is sulstantiallvljl follower-plates mountedbetween such check-' i' identical and the description ocne setof suchlevers and its mode of operation a )plies equally to bot-li and issut'licient to enab c the device to be understood b v those skilledinthe art.

Y rI claim:-. c

1. In a draft-rigging for cars. the combination of draft lugs secured tothe draft sills,

of a car, follower-plate mechanism, a coupler,

'a draw-bar operativel i connected with the con ler and follower-patemechanism, lever 'mec ianism in engagement with the followerplatemechanism and draft lugs, forming ayielding connection between 4thedraw-bar and the draft lugs engaged b v such lever mechanism.

2. In a draft-rigging for ears, 'the combination of draft lugs securedto the draft sillsy of a car, follower-plate mechanism: a coupler,adraw-bar operativel connected with the cou ler and follower-pate`meehanisin, lever mec iai'iisin in engagementwith the followerplatemechanism and draft hgs, formino' a yielding connectionbetween thedraw-' ar andl the draft lugs engaged bv such. lever mechanism, andmea-ns for holding the tollower-plate mechanism in yielding'engagementwith the lever mechanism.

3. In a dra-ft igging for cars, the combinat-ion of draft lugs securedto the draft sills of acar, follower-plate mechanism. a coupler,

a draw-bar operativel connected with the con ler and followenplatemechanism, lever mec ianism in enga-'gement with the followerplatemechanism and the draft lugs forinin a yielding connection therebetween,am`

spring mechanism in engagement with the follower-plate mechanism.

4. In a draft-rigging for cars, the combinat-ion of draft lugs securedto 'the car structure, front and rear follower-plates, adraw'- 'ba-r,and lever mechanism in engagement with such'follower-plates and drs-ftlugs, and

V:forming a-A yielding connection therebetween.

5. In a draftprigging for cars. the combi# nation of draft lugs securedto the draft sills of a car, front and rear follmerer-matcs,A a drawbar,a yoke secured to such draw-bai', and lever mechanism mounted ietwcenthe yokean'd follower-plates, and movable into aiidut of engagement withthe draft lugs.

,5. In a draft-rigging for carsthe combination of draft lugs secured tothe draft sills of a car, front and rear followerlates, a draw-bar, ayoke secured to such draw-bar, lever mechanism mounted between the yokeand'follower-plates and movable into and out oflcngageinent with the,lugs, and spring mechanismmounted intermediate the follower-plates forholding them vieldiiigly in engagement with the lever nchanisni.

7. In a draft-rigging'for ears, the combination of cheek- )latessecured. to thcdraft sills of a car a provided with draft lugs,

-witli such couper, and spring and lcvcr "plates and movable into andout of engagcl. ynient with such draft lugs, leverniecliaiiisii'inengagement with the cheek-plates andi follower plates, and spring iiechanisin im 1- mojuiited uponthe side of the follo'wer-phites op insitethe lever mechanism for holding the follower-plates yieldingly inengagcnicut with such levermechanism' 5 S. liia'draft-riggingfor cars,the combi` I nation f\ 'cheek )lates secured to the draft j! sills of akcar and provided with draft lugs,

.follower-plates mounted between such checkplates andinovable int-o andout of engage.. ment with such draft lugs, lever mechanism 'so inengagement 'with' the cheek-plates and follower-plates; spring mechanismmounted upon the side of thc follower-plates op iositc the -levermechanism' for holding the follower; i )lates yieldiiigly-t inengagement with thcls lever mechanisma draw-bar, and a. `vokcv connectedwith such draw-har and opera#A4 tivelyconnected with the follower-platesnnd spring and leverniechaiiisin.

9. n a draft-rigging for cars, the coinbination of draft-lugsv securedto the draft-1' sills of a car, follower-plates movable in o and out ofengagement with auch draft-lugs, spring mechanism*mounted inengaffcmcnt\ 'ij with the follower-plates, levcrniec ninisin mounted inengagement `with thc fo'lhnvcr-l plates and movable into and out ofengage- 10. ln aV draft-rigging for cars, the coinbination of a coupler,a drawdiar secured thereto, and lever mechanism o icrativcly. connectedwith such draw-bar am with the car and provided with means forincreasing anddiminishing the relative length of the l lever arms foratl'ord-ing an increasing viclding resistance to the movement of thccoupler and draw-bar with relation to the. car.

11. ln a draft-rigging for cuis, thc comlii- 1i@ nation of a cou )le-r,a draw-har connected mechanism operatively connected willi thc draw-barand car and provided with nicchanism in engagement with lsuch lcvcrincch- 11;, aiiisin at shiftinggpoints between thc. ends thereof adaptedto change thc relative length 'of the 'lever arms` for 'providing anincreasing yielding resistance to thc movcnicnt. of the coupler anddraw-liar with relation to 1go the car.

12. In a draft-rigging for cars. thc coinbiiiaton of'a coupler, adraw-bar secured thereto, spring and lcvri' nwchanisin operativelyconnected with the car structure, und

a draw-baryoke sccui'ed to thc draw-bar and in engagement with thc levermechanism movable toward and from the opposite ends of such levers andadapted to incrwsethc resistance of the lever mechanism to vthe '130 l Y'4 relation to the car structure.

1.3. In a draftfriggi'ng for cars, the cornbjnation of eheekplatesrovided Withdraftlugs andsecured tothe Jt-sills of the car,follower-plates mounted between such cheekplates and movable into andout of engagement with the draft lns, spring mechanism mounted betweensue 1 follower lates, a draw-har, a yoke secured to such raw-bar, and aset of levers mounted inside of each end of Vtheyoke each consisting ofa nlurality of crossed levers in engagement wit 1 the yoke, having theirinner ends in engagement with theadjacent followenplate and their outerends movable into and out of engagement with' the draft-lugs.

14. A draft-rigging comprising differential, levers andl an interposedspring, 'the levers vbeing arranged to vary the effective length of thelever armsas the strain of .hurling or draft increases.

l5. A draft-rigging having .direrential levers projecting outwardlybeyond the'line of t11e ,draw-bar and having spring meehanlsm'.

16..;A draft-rigging having differential levers projecting outwardlybeyond the line Wardly beyond the yoke and having spring mechanisminterposed between them.

18. A draft rigging comprising draft springs, levers at each end 'ofsaid draft springs, a yoke surrounding said springs and Vof the draw-barand having'spring-mechanlevers; sto s adapted to engage. the outer i l lends of. sald levers,-sad stopslheing so disposed s to permit saidlevers to move bodily during the initial. movement of said yoke butcausing said levers to turn upon said stops as fulerums during thecontinued movement of 'said yoke..

WINFIELD Yos'r. Witnesses: v

HARRY I.- CROMER. ANNA L. Savons.

